System of railway signaling.



PATENTED OCT. 2, 1906.

I. L. JOHNSON.

SYSTEM OE RAILWAY SIGNALING.

APPLICATION FILED APR.29,1905.

2 SHEBTSSHEET 3 Mi /2001702" EL. ]Z/ 72 076.

lllllllllllll nun-u" PATENTED OCT; 2,1906.

H. L. JOHNSON.

SYSTEM OF RAILWAY SIGNALING.

APPLICATION FILED APR.29, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

fave/zivm' EL. 670/255 0/2 HARRY L. JOHNSON, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS.

SYSTEM F RAELWAY SlGNALlNG" Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ea. 2, 1906.

Applicationfiled April 29, 1905. Serial No. 258,133.

To (tZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that l, l'lARRY L. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Topeka in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful System of Railway.Signaling, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lLilock-signal systems for railways, and has for its object to produce an ellicient and reliable apparatus for automatically signaling the engineer, mo-

torman, or other person in charge of a train or car that it will be safe or t'lang'erons to proceed, accordingly as a certain portion of the track or crossing-track is clear or occupied by another train or car.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization, as hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that it may be fully understood relerincc is to be had to the accompanying which Figure l is a diagrammatic plan view of a portion of a trackway embodyingmy invention, said figure also representing that portion of the improvement carried by the train or car. Fig. 1. is a perspective view of a portion of the tiackway embodying the improve- -nient. Fig. 3 is an inner view of one side of the traclrwa y and represents certain positions which. the car or train thereon will assume. Fig. 4 is a similar view representing certain positions ol the train or car when traveling in the opposite direction to that-indicatedby Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, which show a single-track railway, it will be noted that each block, marked Block 1, Block H, Block Ill," etc, consists of a long and a short not t-ion i1 isulatcd from each other, the long and short sections of the outer side of the trackway being numbered 1 and 3, re spectively, and the ccrreipoinling sections of the inner side of the tracliway being numbered 2 and l ,respectively.

5' indicates a resistance-coil conductor connecting the short sections 3 and at oi each block, and (5 represents spring-plates secured to the short sections 3 a" l provided with insulated contact-pins 7, connected by conductors 8 to the long sections 1 of their respective blocks.

0 represents arched spring-plates secured to the sh t sections of the outer side oi" the trackway and underlying the plates 6 of their respective blocks and pmvidcd with insulated contact-pins 10, normally engaged with the pins 7 of the overlying plates 6, and each contact-pin 10 is connected by a conductor 11 to the long section 1 of the adjacent block of the outer side of the trackway, and it will be noted that the spring-plates 9 are so disposed with respect to the said'short sections 3 that the flanges of the wheels of car or train )assin over said section shall en a 'e said I? O D arched portions and depress them sul'liciently to break the electrical connection between. pins it) and 7. f

Referring now to the inner side of the tracluvay, 12 indicates spring-plates of the same general type as plates 9, secured to the long sections 2 and provided. with insulated contact-pins 13, connected by conductors is to the sections 2, by which said plates 12 are carried.

15 indicates spring-plates carried by short sections 4 and provided with insulated con.- tact-pins 16, connected by orossconductors 17 to the short sections 3 of the same blocks. The short sections 4 are also equipped wit spring-plates 18 of the same type as plates 15, equipped with insulated contact-pins l9,

connected by conductors 20 with the same sections 4, which carry their res 'icctive springplates 18.

2 ire presents s pringplates corresponding to plates -12 and secured to sections 2, the said n1- tact-pins 22 normally engaging contact pins 19 and connected by conductors L3 to the sections 2, which carry their respective springplates 21.

24 and 25 indicate two axles of a car or train, which are insulated from each other and equipped with wheels 26 27 and .29, respectively. The distance between the wheels on the outer side of the trackway should be such that those upon any section 3 may be between the contiguous long so 'on 1 and arched plate 9, warned by said anon 3, so as not to. depress said spring in hath of said wheels are upon the short section. if the tram is moving in the direction 1nd catcd by the arrow, one or more wh hold the said spring depressed until said pa r i the. battery toIa relay 33, electrically conblock,

mounted on a pin 36, against the resistance of neer or motorman, by preference.

short sections current through the local circuit,

the spring '37, and therefore Withdraws eontaet 38, carried by the armature, from engagement with the contact 39, carried by pin 40, said ins 36 and 40 forming the terminals 5 of a loca circuit consisting of a conductor 41,

containing a battery 42, and a signal mechanism, either audible or visual, such as the bell 43, located in the cab' occupied by the person in control of the trainv1z., the engi- Apart of said local circuit is of course composed of the armature and contacts 38 and '39. As long as thepar'ts bear the relation des'cribed v1z., first osition, Fig. 3the signal mech- 5 anism of t e local circuit remains open or inoperative.

When the car or train traveling in the direction indicated by the arrow Fig. 1 assumes the second position, Fig. 3, it will be 0 seen that the s ringlate 12 at the junction of blocks 1 an 11 wi l be depressed by Wheel 29 and break the connection between contact-pins 13 and 16 of said plates 12 and 15, respectively, of blocks 1 and 11, and there- 5 fore break the electric connection between sections 3 and 2, through cross-conductor 17, connected to the contact-pin 16 of the deprressed plate 15, it being also noted that the ont pair of Wheels 26 27 are resting on the air of wheels 28 29 upon the long sections 1' and 2 of block-1. The relation of the arts explained opens the main circuit, and t erefore closes and sends a single pulsation of provided there is no conductor connecting the long sections of block 111. Instantly after the main circuit is broken, as described, it is reestablished by Wheels 0 tions3 and 4, whichbeing electrically connect ed to battery 30 causes the current to pass through said battery 30, and therefore break the local circuit. When both sets of wheels are on sections 3 and 4, they occupy the 5 third position, as shown in Fig. 3. YVhcn said wheels attain the fourth position, same figure, theforemost ones are on sections 1 and 2 of the block and the others still on sections 3 and 4, and at the same time the fore- 0 most wheel 27 by de ressing plate 21 separates pin 22 of said p ate from 'pin19 of the contiguous plate, thus breaking the circuit through battery 30 andpermitting s 5 plete the local circuit. This second pulsa- .that the engineer or 3 and 4 of block 11 and the rear 28 and 29 rolling onto sec. spring-plate 9, carried ring 37 to operate the armature, and there y com-.

tion of current through the local circuit Will signal the engineer or motorman and in practice Will follow closely the first signal, so motorman by receiving the double signal will know that the track ahead is open or clear for a safe distance. that is, more than one block of track is open or clear.

If a train, as indicated at 44, should be on sections 1 and 2 of block 111 as the firstnamed tram assumed the second position,

the engineer or motorman would not receive a doublesignal, because train 44 by connecting said sections 1 and 2 of block 111Would complete a circuit through the main battery and as a result prevent the first completion of the local circuit and the first signal produced thereby. The circuit, assuming that one train occupies the second'position and the other train electrically connects sections 1 and 2 of block 111, is traced as follows: from 30, through 31, 24, 27, 4, (of block 11,) 20,19, 22, 23, 2, (of block 11,) 14,16, 17,3, (block 111,) 5, 4, (block 111,) 20, 19, 22, 23, 2, (block 111,) 44, 1, (block 111,) 11, 10,7, 8, 1, (block 11,) 11, 10, 7, 8, 1, (block 1,) 28,25, 34, 33, and 32 to negative pole of battery 30.

If there are two blocks between the trains, they are a safe distance apart, and conseuently the engineer or engineers receive the ouble or clear signal. This is so because the current from the main battery 30 (or batteries 30, if both trains are equipped with signal mechanism) must pass through two resistance-coils, which coils offer such resistance to the current that it is not capable of energizing its relay sufliciently to overcome the resistance of spring 37. sult said spring Will operate the armature and. complete the local circuit and give the engineer or motorman the first signal, the second signal invariably following the first, because the breaking of the circuit by the separation of ,iins 19 and 22 is absolute.

To avdid false signaling behind a train and through the instrumentality thereof, there is provided between the point of juncture of sections land 3 and the contiguous end of space sufficiently long to accommodate the wheels 26 and 28, but not the other wheels of the train behind said wheel 28, it is necessary that contact between the corres ondingbloek sha be broken until said wheels 26 and 28 have attained the position marked fourth position, Fig. 3, where it will be noticed they are on tracksections which are insulated from each other.

Trains running in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 4, assume the four positions-of said figure. In the first position the main circuit is broken between pins 19 and 22, so as tocomplete the local circuit and send out the first signal. When the wheels are in the second position, same figure, the

loo

by said sections 3, it i pins 7 and H) of main circuit is closed. \Yhen they occupy the third position, the main circuit is again broken, so as to result in the production of a second impulse of current through the local circuit and the consequent completion of the double signal.

llaving thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure bylietters Patent. is p 1 in a block signal system for railways, a tracltway consisting of a-lined long and short sections arranged alternately and insulated lrom each other, and a pair of contacts held yieldingly together with one electrically connected to one ol' the long sections and the other to the long section at the opposite end of said short section.

2. In a block-signal system for railways, a. traclnvay consisting of alineZl long and short sections arranged alternately and insulated from each other, a contact electri ally connected to one of said long sections, a contact yieldingly engaging the first-named contact and. insulated from the short section, a pair of contacts held in yielding engagement: one

ol them being electrically connected to the short section and the other to the long section at the opposite end ol' the short section from the first-named long section.

3. lo a block-signal system tor railways, a tltlChWtt) consisting of parallel side portions each consisting of long sections and short sections arranged alternately and insulated from each other, a resistance-coil connecting the short, sections, a pair of contacts held yieldingly together and insulated from the short section at one side of the'tracltway and electrically councctedto the long sections at opposite ends ol' the short section: a second pair oi" contacts held yieldingly together and eltwtricallyconnected to thelast-namedsln rt section and to one of the long sections at the opposite side of the trackway, a third pair of contacts held yieldingly engaged and elcc trically connecting the short section in line with the last-named long section and the long section in line with and at the opposite end of said lastnamed short section.

4. in a block-signal system for railways, a trackway consisting of parallel side portions each consisting of long sections and short sections arranged alternately and insulated from etch other, a. resistance-coil c nnecting the short sections a pair of contacts held yicldingly together and insulated l'rom the short section atone side of the tracluvay and electrically connected to the long sections at opposite ends ol'- the short section; a second pair of contacts held yteldmgly together and electrically connected to the last named short section and to one ol" the long sections at the. opposite side of the tracluvay, a third pair of contacts held'yicldingly engaged and electrically connecting the short section in line with thelast-named long section and the long section in line with and at the opposite end of said last-named short section. in combination with insulated sets of wheels on the trackway and adapted to successively break the engagement between one of the pairs of contacts of said portion of the traclnvay. then between the pair of contacts at the other side of t he tra kway and tinally between the other pair of contacts at the lirst-named side of the tracluvay.

5. In a. block-signal system for railways, a tracltway, consisting ot' parallel side portions each consisting of long sect ions and short sec tions arranged alternately and insulated from each other, a resistance-coil connecting the short sections, a pair of contacts held yicldingly together and insulated from the short section at one side of the tracliway and electrically connected to the long sections at oppositeemls ot the short section; a second pair of contacts held yieldingly together and electrically connected to the last named short section and to one ol" the long sections at the opposite side of the trackway, a third pair ot' contacts held yieldingly engaged and electrically connecting the short section in line with the last-named long section and the long section in line with and at the opposite end ol said last-named short section, in combination with insulated sets of wheels on. the tltt(l(\\':t Y and adapted to successively break the engagement between one of the pairs of contactsot' said portion of the track'w'ay, then.

between the pair of contacts at the other side of the tracltway and linally between the other pair of contacts at the first-named side of the traclgway, a source of electric supply connected to the insulated sets of wheels, a relay in circuit with said electric supply, an armature for the relay, and a spring to withdraw the armature from the relay when the latter is dcmagnet ized.

(5. in a. block-signal system for railways, a trackway consisting of parallel side portions each consisting of long sections and short sections arranged alternately and insulated from each other, a resistance-coil connecting the short sections. a pair of contacts helt yieldingly together aml insulated from the short section at one side of the trac-kway and electrically connected to the long sections at opposite ends ot' the short section; a second pair of contac held yieldingly together and electrically connected to the last namedshort section and to one ol the long sections at the opposite side of the tracliway, a third pair ol contactsheld yieldinglj'r engaged and electrically connecting the short section in line with the last-named long section and the long section in lines with and at the opposite ends of said last-namcd short section, 1n combination with insulated sets of wheels on the the. engagement between one ol the pairs of contacts ol" said portion of the trackway;

v then between the pair of contacts at the other side of the trackway and finallyv between the other pair of contacts at the first-named side of the trackwa a source of electric su ply connected to t e insulated sets of whee s, a relay in circuit with said'connection, an armature for the relay, a spring to withdraw the armature from the relay whei. the latter is'demagnetized, a local circuit having its ter- 1o minals adapted to be connected by the arma HARRY L. JOHNSON. Witnesses:

A. P. BERG, LUTHER M. NELnIs. 

